Mother Henning
by MarluxiaSutcliff116
Summary: Soooooo...Tadokoro isn't in the tagging list? The rest of the morning progressed similarly, new and fresh breads and pastries making their way out of the kitchen and into their appropriate places. As soon as the last roll was placed out, there was a mad scramble for the daycare supplies. As per every morning, they were running slightly late.


**Mother Henning**

* * *

"Jin!" Makishima called from the front of the bakery, busily setting wax paper out onto the soon-to-be-filled trays. "Can you make some sprinkled donuts for the little ones today? The ones with the different colored frosting? They love those."

Tadokoro popped out of the kitchen, apron dusted with flour, to give Makishima a thumbs up and a grin. "You got it! How many?"

Makishima shrugged. "A baker's dozen should suffice."

Tadokoro sniffed. "Not even giving 'em a whole donut?"

Makishima gave him a look. "Their tummies are still too small to handle so much bread. I don't want them to get sick."

Tadokoro laughed. "I thought you were going to say something about there being too much sugar and you didn't want them too hyper."

Makishima rolled his eyes. "I would have expected you of all people to know that sugar doesn't make kids hyper. They just kind of…are. Sugar or not kids just have too much energy."

Tadokoro laughed again, saying something about how true that was, and turned back into the kitchen just as Aoyagi brought out the first batch of loaves and set them on the rack near the window.

"Morning." He quietly murmured, earning him a smile and similar greeting from Makishima.

Teshima wasn't too far behind, entering with a flourish as he flipped all of his buns off the tray he was holding and into one of the display cases.

Aoyagi obliged his elegance and clapped slowly, rolling his eyes when Teshima looked up at him and, grinning, gave a dramatic bow.

Makishima shook his head good-naturedly. "You guys…"

The rest of the morning progressed similarly, new and fresh breads and pastries making their way out of the kitchen and into their appropriate places. As soon as the last roll was placed out, there was a mad scramble for the daycare supplies. As per every morning, they were running slightly late.

Makishima, Teshima and Aoyagi all grabbed what they could, running it out to the van in order to at least get to the daycare to open it on time.

All three zipped through the kitchen, intent on going out the back door, Teshima and Aoyagi shouting their 'goodbyes' and 'see you laters' behind them.

Makishima took just long enough to step around the oven and give Tadokoro a kiss goodbye, thanking him again for the donuts, and then, with a flick of red and green, he was out the door.

Teshima was already in the drivers seat, Aoyagi next to him, so Makishima hopped into the back and they were off. And just like every morning, they managed to open the daycare in time, Makishima ushering in the few people who had been waiting while Teshima and Aoyagi unloaded the day's supplies and then got back in the van to pick up a few of the kids from their homes.

Back inside, Makishima was putting drinks and snacks away in the small kitchen, making sure to keep an eye on the two little ones who had arrived early.

Imaizumi's mother had to leave early in the morning three days a week, and Midosuji's mother wanted him to be introduced to other children before he started kindergarten.

So there they were, on opposite sides of the room, quiet as little mice, minding their own business.

Makishima sighed fondly. They might be solitary now, but it wouldn't be long before the rest of the usual little ones showed up, and then no one would be sitting in the corner reading alone.

Just thinking about the wonderful little ones he was to be watching over was enough to make Makishima smile. All of his kids were wonderful in their own ways.

Just then there was a knock at the door, and upon opening it found his resident grump standing by his mother's side, usual scowl present and accounted for.

Makishima opening the door wider, and Arakita and his mother stepped in. The two adults conversed shortly, exchanging pick-up information, and in the meantime Arakita took his place by the window, waiting for his partner in crime to arrive.

It had only been a few minutes, just after his mother had gone, when Arakita jumped down from the window and ran over to a spot behind the door, and Makishima didn't even need to look out the window to confirm it as he walked over to open the door.

There stood Izumida, a sleepy-looking Shinkai in his arms, clutching a stuffed pink rabbit.

"Good morning Makishima-san." Izumida smiled brightly, and Shinkai raised a tiny hand in greeting, still very sleep-sober.

Izumida set him down and let Makishima know that he would be the one picking up the tiny terror; his mother was out of town and he would be babysitting for the next couple days. But Makishima was only half listening, turning slightly away from the door to glance behind him with a poorly-hidden smile.

Izumida turned to look as well, and at his questioning glance, Makishima counted down, "Three, two, one…"

With a strange shrieking noise that startled the two other little ones in the room over, Arakita leapt out from his hiding spot behind the door and, literally, jump-tackled Shinkai, sending them both flying across the kitchen.

Alarmed, Izumida made to rush forward, but at Makishima's gentle restraint, he watched as instead Shinkai squealed in laughter as they skidded to a stop, throwing his arms around Arakita and squeezing him tight, deciding that he was better to nuzzle than the now-forgotten pink bunny lying across the room.

Arakita, for all his grumpiness, looked perfectly happy to pretend to be a leech, practically wrapping around Shinkai like a mini-octopus.

Makishima grinned, and beside him Izumida began to laugh softly, and Makishima would not have been the least bit surprised if Arakita suddenly grew a tail that began wagging a mile a minute.

Thanking Makishima (and Arakita) for taking care of Shinkai, Izumida bid them all farewell a few minutes later, just as the van pulled back up and Teshima hopped out to open the back door and help the little ones down.

Naruko and Onoda were the first in the door, and they both ran to Imaizumi and Midosuji respectively.

Both quiet children dropped what they were doing and stood to meet the two little balls of energy, both still with almost-frowns, but it was less frown than before, so Makishima counted it as a victory.

But then…then Makishima heard _him_. That tiny, fussy voice of his arch-nemesis—er, of that _wonderful_ little fusspot, Toudou, Makishima corrected himself.

He supposed he didn't give Toudou enough credit. He was usually a very well-behaved child, he was just very outgoing and had to question absolutely everything. He was also convinced that he had been blessed by God or something.

Makishima sighed, but turned to face Aoyagi, who was carrying Toudou. Toudou wasn't making a fuss, so much as just being squirmy.

He whimpered as Aoyagi brought him inside, causing Makishima to raise a brow. "He didn't want to leave his mother this morning. He said he was going to be strong, though. I wonder where he could have picked that up."

Aoyagi smiled, and Makishima did the same as he gently took Toudou from the blond. "Good morning, squirt."

Toudou made a face. "Morning, Maki-chan."

Makishima smiled. "I hear you didn't want to come see me this morning."

Toudou gasped dramatically. "It's not like that! It's just…my mama's been gone a lot lately…"

Makishima smoothed his hair, adjusting his little white hairband. "I know, but if you behave today, you'll get a really nice surprise later, okay?" He had already spoken to Toudou's mother, and she was coming to get him herself today, she armed with hugs and kisses, and Makishima with a camera.

Toudou grimaced, as if the mere implication of him doing anything but behaving was absurd, but he nodded nonetheless.

In the time he had been talking with Toudou, Manami had made his way inside. Makishima knew this because of the multiple raised voices of Arakita, of whom he was without a doubt harassing simply by being in the vicinity, and Midosuji for, most likely, saying hello to Onoda.

But things soon calmed down. Onoda had Midosuji thoroughly wrapped up in the story he was telling with action figures and Barbie dolls, and Toudou and Manami were staring out the window and pointing out shaped clouds.

Arakita and Shinkai were, had been, playfully wrestling in a nest of blankets and pillows in the corner. Makishima was always surprised at how much Arakita dialed down when Shinkai was around, always very careful in his pounces and letting Shinkai initiate most of the bouts of wrestling, just pawing at him sedately in the meantime.

But Imaizumi and Naruko were raring and ready to go outside, so Makishima let the two out, who were soon joined by the rest. Makishima knew Onoda and Midosuji probably wouldn't stay out long, but he was glad that they at least got a bit of fresh air, so maybe they would sleep better in a couple hours' time.

Imaizumi and Naruko immediately took off like a pair of gazelles, racing around, always trying to pull ahead of one another.

Manami had decided that the days' goal was to climb the yard's tree, so Makishima stood underneath the little one as he climbed, just in case.

Makishima wasn't normally one to freak out when Manami did things like climb everything in sight, mostly because he had confidence that he could at least make it into the tree by himself. Makishima figured he would probably end up helping him down, but he didn't mind.

Toudou was mindlessly chattering at his feet, and Arakita and Shinkai were playing tag amongst the playground set, with Teshima and Aoyagi also keeping vigil, and Makishima grinned contentedly.

The picture was almost perfect…

"Hey! I hear lots of yelling, so I'm gonna assume that everyone's in the back! Would one of you unlock the gate?"

Teshima ran over to open the gate for Tadokoro just as Makishima fished Manami out of the tree, brushing a bit of bark from his hair.

He turned and smiled at Tadokoro, who was carrying a box that could only contain the day's treat. He set it down on the picnic table outside and went inside to help Makishima bring out plates and napkins.

"Who's watching the bakery this morning?" Makishima turned to ask.

"Kinjou and Fukutomi are both there this morning."

Makishima nodded. "Oh good, we won't come back to find that they've wrecked the place."

Tadokoro huffed. "That was _one time_ and a freak accident! Never happen again!"

Makishima laughed at the scrunched-up look Tadokoro was giving him, and leaned forward to kiss it away. "I certainly hope you're right."

Tadokoro just beamed.

When they came back outside, the little ones seemed to hone in on the box, and they were met with lots of curious looks.

Makishima smiled, arms full of juice boxes. "Anybody want a snack?"

There was a _very_ eager nod from Shinkai, and a chorus of 'yes please!'.

Makishima set about cutting the donuts in half, setting them on plates. He saw a tiny hand reach up and try to grab a plate, and he gave Toudou a look. "And what do you think you're doing?"

Toudou huffed, seemingly at how high the picnic table was. "I want to help pass them out! But I can't reach, would you please pass them to me?"

Makishima took a moment to laugh, but handed the plates down to Toudou as he cut them, who in turn gave them to the rest of the children, along with the juice, and Tadokoro snickered. "That one's going to grow up to be a mother hen."

Teshima grinned. "Well, he _is_ learning from the best!"

Makishima tried his best to look disapproving, but he couldn't keep his slight smile fully hidden.

He looked over at Toudou, who was now situated with his own slice and juice box and was sitting and talking to a peeved-looking Arakita as he ate, and he looked around at the other little ones and smiled.

He looked over at Tadokoro and elbowed him gently, earning him a smile of his own.

If this was what it meant being a mother hen, then he really didn't mind at all.

* * *

_**A/N**_

**Ah yes, the mandatory kid fic. Yes, this was ABSOLUTELY necessary. My best friends and I were squealing over a comic of Tadokoro having his own bakery and another one where Makishima had a daycare and my heart just couldnt take it so yeah. **

**Also how obvious is my love for little ShinAra? TTwTT **

**Send help Im stILL IN BIKE HELL.**


End file.
